The present invention relates generally to seat cushions and to processes for producing seat cushions. More particularly, the present invention relates to monolithic seat cushions for off-the-road vehicles, such as tractors or earth-moving equipment, and to a simple and economical manufacturing process for producing the monolithic seat cushion.
Seat cushions for off-the-road vehicles generally comprise a rigid metal pan atop which is a layer of resilient cushioning material, such as polyurethane foam, in turn covered by a flexible plastic seat cover, such as vinyl (polyvinylchloride), which is relatively strong and resistant to sun, rain, wind, frost and dirt.
Conventionally, these three components have been manufactured separately and then assembled together by skilled or semi-skilled upholstery workers who mechanically joined the cover to the pan. Such assembly techniques are relatively complicated and expensive and do not lend themselves readily to mass production. An additional drawback is that the mechanically joined components may come apart from each other during use.